Gas and liquid contact apparatus



1933- J. BECKER GAS AND LIQUID CONTACT APPARATUS Filed May 18, 1951 Gas Gas

INVENTOR M P6075677 v5 [WI/v6 1974905:

1/ 00? Owz 7 01/52/40 w 3 jzimacfien/N Patented Aug. 1, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAS AND LIQUID CONTACT APPARATUS tion of Delaware Application May 18, 1931. Serial No. 538,123

2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to gas and liquid contact apparatus, and more particularly to towers in which gas is contacted by liquid which has a corrosive action on metals.

5 Gas and liquid contact towers constructed according to the prevent invention are applicable generally to washing gases with corrosive liquids; that is, with liquids which have a corrosive action on metals in general. The towers may be used, for example, for washing coal gas with sulphuric or sulphurous acid solutions.

Towers for washing gases sometimes are 60 ft. high and from 6 to 12 ft. in diameter. It is, accordingly, necessary that the towers have 15 great mechanical strength, and, for this reason, steel or other metal has generally been used. Steel is not satisfactory where the treating liquid has a corrosive action thereon, and in such cases it has been the practiceto line the steel shell with a lining of glass or other suitable material which is not attacked by the corrosive liquid. This construction is very expensive and is not entirely satisfactory, since if the glass lining is broken, it is very diificult to replace. Where a wooden lining is placed in contact with the inner surface of a steel shell, the wooden lining, being somewhat pervious to liquids, becomes saturated with the liquid, and if the liquid is corrosive, it attacks the steel shell.

According to the present invention, a contact tower suitable for washing gas with corrosive liquids is made by providing the tower with an outer metallic shell, and an inner shell spaced therefrom, the inner shell being made of a material which resists corrosion. The gas to be treated is conducted from the gas inlet through the passage formed between the inner and outer shells and thereafter passes through 40 the inner shell where it is contacted by the liquid. Hurdles preferably are arranged within the inner shell to cause contact between the gas and liquid. The gas passing between the inner and outer shells, before being introduced into the interior of the inner shell, is at a higher pressure than the gas within the inner shell, and for this reason the corrosive liq'uid does not leak through the inner shell, even though it is made of a somewhat permeable material, such as wood or tile. The outer metal shell, accordingly, is protected from the corrosive action of the liquid by the gas flowing through the passage between the inner and outer shells.-

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the present preferred embodiment of my below theliquor outlet 15.

invention, the single figure is a central vertical section through a gas and liquid contact tower.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawing, the tower comprises an outer steel shell 2 and an inner wooden shell 3 spaced therefrom to provide a gas passage 4. The top of the steel shell 2 is closed by a cover 5 having a manhole cover 6 which may be removed to gain access to the interior of the steel shell. A manhole 7 is also provided at the side of the steel shell. The top 8 of the wooden inner shell is provided with an opening closed by a cover 9 which may be removed for gaining access to the interior of the wooden shell.

Liquid distributing pipes 12 extend within the top of the inner shell and these pipes are provided with deflectors 13 which spread out the liquid issuing from the pipes. The liquid issuing from pipes 12 flows over hurdles 14 and escapes through an outlet 1'5 at the bottom of the tower. The hurdles are supported by cross members 16 secured in any desired manner to the lining '3.

The hurdles may be made of wood, earthenware or any other material which will withstand the corrosive action of the liquid. The wooden shell 3 is reinforced at points near the supports 16 by exterior metal reinforcing bands 17.

The lower end of the shell 3 is provided with gas inlet ports 18 communicating with the gas passage 4 between the inner and outer shells. The interior of the lower end of the steel shell 2 is lined with a wooden lining 20 to protect it from any corrosive liquid which may spatter through the ports 18. An overflow and seepage drain 21 is provided at the bottom of the tower The upper end of the gas passage 4 between the inner and outer shells communicates with a gas inlet 22, and the upper end of the inner wooden shell 3 is provided with a gas outlet 23.

In the process of washing gas with a corrosive liquid, the gas enters the tower through the gas inlet 22 and flows, as indicated by the arrows, in the passage 4 between the inner and outer shells toward the bottom of the tower, where it flows through the ports 18 to the interior of the inner shell. The liquid flowing from pipes 12 passes down over the hurdles 14 in contact with the upwardly flowing gases and escapes through the outlet 15. The gas which was admitted through ports 18. flows' upwardly through the interior of the inner lining 3 and, after contacting with the liquid and being washed thereby, escapes through the gas outlet 23.

The hurdles 14 within the inner shell 3 de- .110

crease the pressure of the gas inside of the shell, so that the pressure inside of the shell is less than the gas pressure in the passage 4. Because of this difference in pressure between the inside andoutside of the inner shell, the corrosive liquid flowing from the pipes 12 is prevented from leaking through the wooden shell 3, even though this lining may be somewhat permeable. In this manner, the corrosive liquid is kept out of contact with the steel outer shell 2.

The outer shell may be madeof any metal having sufficient mechanical strength to withstand the stresses to which the tower is subjected. In place of using wood for the inner shell, I may use any material which resists corrosion by the liquid, for example, tile, brick or concrete. Even if these materials are somewhat permeable, they may be used because the corresive liquid is prevented from seeping through the inner shell, as previously pointedout.

The hurdles 14, although preferably made of wood, may be made of any suitable material, such as brick, tile or concrete, provided they resist the corrosive action of the liquid. The shape of the hurdles is immaterial so long as they cause suflicient contact of the liquid and gas and provide suificient resistance to the flow of gas so as to cause the pressure in the passage 4 to be greater than the pressure inside of the inner shell, thereby preventing seepage of the liquid through the inner shell.

I have illustrated and described the present preferred embodiment of my invention. It will be understood, however, that the invention may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for treating a gas with a corrosive liquid, comprising an outer steel shell, an inner wooden shell spaced from the outer shell and providing a gas passage between the two shells, said passage communicating with a gas inlet and with the interior of the inner shell, means for passing liquid and gas through the inner shell in contact with each other, a liquid outlet adjacent the bottom of the apparatus, the inner shell having a bottom spaced from the bottom of the outer shell to provide a seepage chamber for collecting corrosive liquid seeping from the bottom of the inner chamber, said seepage chamber being lined with corrosion resistant material and. having an outlet.

2. Apparatus for treating a gas with a corrosive liquid, comprising an outer metallic shell, an inner shell of non-metallic and non-corrodible material spaced from the outer shell and providing a gas passage between the two shells, said passage communicating with a gas inlet and with the interior of the inner shell, means 'for passing liquid and gas through the interior of the inner shell in contact with each other, a liquid outlet adjacent the bottom of the apparatus, the inner shell having a bottom spaced from the bottom of the outer shell to provide a seepage chamber for collecting corrosive liquid seeping from the bottom of the inner chamber, said seepage chamber being lined with corrosion resistant material and having an outlet.

JOSEPH BECKER. 

